Freshly harvested produce is commonly handled in expedited manner by wholesalers for delivery to retailers in short time intervals from harvest in order to preserve as much shelf life for such produce as possible. The so-called Krebb cycle for fruits and vegetables has been reported to include phases of deterioration from harvest that are affected by such factors as lowering the aspiration rate and reducing the incidents of bruising and bacteriological invasions, since it is believed that the ability of the produce to repair itself from bruises or from invasions of bacteria is materially reduced following removal of the produce from its source of nutrients provided through the vine, stem, stalk or root on which it grew. One known technique for inhibiting or delaying the Krebb cycle and thereby extending available shelf life of produce is to refrigerate the produce to both slow down the aspiration rate and the ripening or deterioration process, and also to minimize the bacteriological invasions throughout the handling and distribution procedures involved up through delivery of the harvested produce to the retailer. Another technique to reduce bacteriological intrusions includes periodic cleaning of the equipment that contacts the produce, typically at the end of a work shift, or less frequently as part of maintenance operations.